The race is on in Hume and Macedon Ranges which have attracted big fields of candidates for next month’s council elections.
There are 14 nominations for three vacancies in Hume’s Jacksons Creek ward this year – up from 10 candidates in 2012. Incumbents Jack Medcraft and Ann Potter will stand again while veteran councillor Jack Ogilvie stepped down after 26 years because of poor health.
Current mayor Helen Patsikatheodorou (Meadow Valley) has also stepped down after eight years on council, but her husband John Patsikatheodorou has nominated to stand in Jacksons Creek.
Juan Rodriguez-Deller, Leanne Morgan, Wendy Walters, John Karagiannidis, Stephen Coughlan, Carmel Barrot, Hayley Quinn, Phillip Di Biase, Leigh Johnson and Trevor Dance have all nominated for Jacksons Creek.
Twenty-seven candidates have nominated for nine vacancies on Macedon Ranges council – two fewer than last election.
Standing for three vacancies in the East ward are Natasha Gayfer, Henry Bleeck, Nicole Rowan, Bill West, William Bick, Deborah Alford-Kerr, Hilary Roberts, Geoffrey Neil and Damian Parolin.
Incumbent east ward councillors Ian Ellis and mayor Graham Hackett are standing again while Henry McLaughlin is not.
In south ward, John Amenta, Mandi Mees, Paul Hosking, Andrew Twaits, Helen Radnedge and Jamie Byron have nominated for three vacancies.
South ward councillors John Letchford and Russell Mowatt are standing for re-election while Cr Sally Piper has stepped down.
Nominated for three vacancies in the West ward are Andrew Dodds, Janet Pearce, Rosie Torr, Donna Fisk, Ron Rutledge and Luke Spielvogel. Current councillors Jennifer Anderson and Roger Jukes are standing again but deputy mayor John Connor will not run.
The Victorian Electoral Commission will send enrolled voters a postal ballot pack in the mail between October 4 and 6. Votes should be returned by the post by 6pm on Friday, October 21, or delivered to the election office at the Mechanics Institute, 71 Mollison Street, Kyneton between 9am-5pm on week days.
